by Site Staff
May 31, 2006
Last year, we humbled an executive at one of the world’s largest companies. Two years ago, we nearly made a general cry. What can possibly be in store this year?
The wait is just about over.
As you might have guessed, it’s time once again to accept nominations for Chief Learning Officer magazine’s annual Learning In Practice Awards program. As we have in the past, we’ll collect nominations recognizing the good, impactful work of learning leaders in seven categories of competition, including CLO of the Year. Groups of judges will review nominations independently of one another and cast their ballots for the most successful education executives. And come Oct. 5, we’ll present awards to 25 noteworthy individuals at the CLO Symposium in Austin, Texas.
Forget the Oscars: These awards recognize true performance among the brightest stars in corporate education. May I have the envelope please?
I’m happy to tell you this month about some changes to the awards program that I think you’ll appreciate, designed to make the nomination process more efficient and the judging even more accurate. I think you’ll find a streamlined process that better positions your work against peer companies.
Let’s start at the beginning, with the nomination process. To nominate yourself, a peer, a client or a partner, visit www.clomedia.com/learningawards. We’ve put together an all-electronic process this year, where you can fill out the nomination forms right online. No messing with paper, multiple copies or collateral materials. Of course, you can complete as many nominations as desired, tailoring each to the specific successes achieved by various learning initiatives. (Take some free advice: Be as specific as possible in the space allowed, and if you want to wow the judges, include some metrics to back up your information.)
The online submission process is just a technological nod designed to help you more effectively and efficiently join the program. The other enhancement this year is more substantial: For the first time, instead of giving three awards in most categories, we’ll give just Gold and Silver awards in six of the seven categories. However, those same six categories also will be subdivided, so nominations will be split by company size, recognizing Gold and Silver winners for companies with less than 10,000 employees and those with more than 10,000 employees. Smaller firms and mom-and-pop shops will no longer have to compete with the resources of multi-national mega-corporations. In other words, apples are being paired with apples.
That’s the case for six of the seven categories: Achieving Impact, Creative Alliances, Leading Business Change, Learning Innovation, Strategic Alignment and Utilization of Marketing Resources. Only one category is being handled differently, the top award, CLO of the Year.
Although we thought it important to split most categories by company size to ensure equal footing among nominees of similar size, there is just one CLO of the Year. He or she can come from a company of any size, and only these criteria really matter: the proven ability to impact the organization positively, to advance the skills and competencies of its workforce and to realize the benefits of learning and development fully. This one’s not about resources, it’s about results.
Again, I urge you to visit www.clomedia.com/learningawards to submit your Learning In Practice Award nominations online. Nominations are now available and will be accepted through June 30. Of course, you may nominate yourself or others as often as you like in any appropriate category. (Category criteria and more detailed descriptions are available on the same page.)
Two years ago, we developed a program that nearly left a soldier speechless. One year ago, we brought a new honor to a business behemoth. What about you? The playing field is level, the system is simple, your award awaits.
See you on stage.
Norm Kamikow
Editor in Chief